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When : What tense to put behind...

WHEN: What tense shall I put behind it? 

If you ask students what tense must be used behind  'when', after thinking a little, they will inevitably answer: ‘ NO future!' ...  This is a strange and short way of expressing mixed up and badly understood rules... Let's try to see if things can be a little clearer... 

1) You should always check whether the sentence is a direct interrogative:

If it is the case (shown by intonation when speaking and the question mark when reading), then, the clause is a direct interrogative clause, or more simply, a question, and 'when' is a direct interrogative pronoun =>

                   WHEN + any tense or mode + ? =

A direct interrogative clause introduced by a direct interrogative pronoun.

ex:  When did you go to Australia? Three years ago. (when + preterite)

ex:  When will you have coffee with me?  (when + future)

ex:  When should he have left home ?  (when + modal)

2) Sometimes, 'when' is preceded by a main clause introducing an indirect interrogative clause: 'when' is then an adverb.

When =  at what moment?; I don't know; do you know?;  I wonder ( = I ask myself) ; I am (not) sure;

The expression: the day when= relative pronoun) + future, is used in the same way.

ex : He doesn't know when he will be able to come to see you. 

                       'WHEN' used in  AN  INDIRECT INTERROGATIVE CLAUSE=> is followed by the FUTURE.

3) Very often, 'when' is a temporal subordinate conjunction, it then introduces a temporal subordinate and is NEVER followed by a future.

If the main cause is in the future (shall/will + verb) , the subordinate is in the present; if the main clause is in the conditional (would + verb), the subordinate will be in the past:

ex: 'Will you still love me when I'm 64?'  (TheBeatles)

ex:  He'll phone you when he knows the result of his exam. 

Now, you have all the necessary elements to sort this complicated point out . I don't guarantee you will succeed right away (unless you think very carefully ! ) ... but I'm sure you will do it!  

Force and courage !                               

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2) Do you know when your friend Claire will arrivedoes arrivearrivearrivesI don't know ?


3) I will give you my bike when my parents boughtwill buyhave boughtwill have boughtI don't know a new one for me...


4) Sandra, I will be very glad when your room is tidyingis tidiedwill be tidiedwill tidytidiesI don't know up at last!


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7) Do you know when your father bewill beisis beshall beI don't know back? Yes, I do... In two days...


8) You'll have a rest when you areyou'll beyou beyou will beI don't know too tired!


9) We'll send you a text when their train will arrivearrivesarrive'll arriveI don't know in the station, and will be at your place 10 minutes later.


10) When you 'll bearewill bebeI don't know ready, we'll go and have a cup of tea together...